E-Day III: Dark Moon (E-Day Trilogy Book 3) by Nicholas Sansbury Smith

Author:Nicholas Sansbury Smith [Smith, Nicholas Sansbury]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Great Wave Ink Publishing
Published: 2022-03-28T16:00:00+00:00

— 17 —

Bloated bodies floated in the water treatment tank.

Men, women, children.

The sight of grisly death shook Akira to his very core.

The machines had spared no one, killing without prejudice throughout the Life Ark. Akira kicked across the pool to Kobe, who gripped the edge, keeping his head just above the surface.

For the past two hours, they had hidden down here. It seemed Kobe was right about the beasts not liking water.

Akira wasn’t sure why, but he was sure the monster remained in the Life Ark.

“It’s out there,” he whispered.

Kobe kept his head above the surface with Akira. Both of them listened to the distant clatter. The wailing screams were sporadic now, as if the beast had calmed the enslaved heads—or whatever they were.

Okami waited on the platform, shifting his gaze from the doorway down to them like they were idiots.

“Fuck, man, I’m a goddamn raisin,” Kobe said. “I need out of here.”

“Better than getting crushed to death by the Conda,” Akira said.

“No doubt.”

Okami suddenly stood. Metal scraped against metal outside. This was close. Close enough that Okami abandoned his post to jump in the water.

Akira pulled Kobe under before he could protest. The tanks weren’t deep, but Kobe didn’t have oxygen reserves like Akira did.

Akira looked up at the surface, watching for the snake. He thought he felt a vibration but wasn’t sure.

Now he was second-guessing the idea of being underwater.

They should have pushed on, found Apeiron, and retreated to the shelter.

Suddenly, a multi-faced head dipped into the water. Five sets of human eyes searched the dark pool for several agonizing seconds.

Kobe pulled on Akira. Not because he could see the Conda. At least not from his vantage. But more likely because he was running out of oxygen.

Akira considered raising his rifle and firing but decided not to move. Not unless he absolutely had to.

So far, the deformed human faces hadn’t seemed to see them.

All at once, those faces parted in the middle, three on each side pulling back like the petals of a flower to reveal a maw lined with knifelike teeth.

The snake lurched, swallowing the upper half of a corpse floating in the tank. It yanked the woman out and vanished again above the surface.

Akira held Kobe. The man was squirming in a blind panic now.

After another three seconds, Akira let go and kicked up to the surface. He poked his head through to make sure it was clear.

The Conda was gone, leaving a black trail of goo behind.

Kobe broke through next, taking in a deep gasp as Akira climbed out with his rifle aimed at the exit door. The trail of black led outside.

He slowly approached, hearing the clank of metal echoing down the passages. It seemed it was coming from above, rather than below now.

Keeping his rifle up, Akira checked on Kobe. He was on his knees, still trying to catch his breath. After another moment, he got up and followed Okami over to Akira. They took a left out of the chamber, away from the tar trail, and in a direction that they had yet to search.

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